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Indoor Tanning Regulation, Enforcement, Taxation, and Policy

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Shedding Light on Indoor Tanning

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Abstract

Tanning device use before the age of 35 is associated with a 75% increase in the risk for melanoma, a statistic prompting increased efforts towards limiting youth access to indoor tanning facilities. Numerous state, federal, and international restrictions focus on age restrictions, parental consent requirements, ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure amount and frequency, warning labeling on the devices, taxation, and operator education. While commendable, these efforts are limited by non-compliance and insufficient enforcement of existing regulations.

A parallel can be drawn between the use of tobacco products and indoor-tanning. Despite serious health risks, large industries target teens and young adults to initiate indoor tanning and smoking through advertising that portrays these behaviors as socially appealing. Age restriction policies coupled with taxation effectively limit youth access to tobacco products, and therefore, may be useful models for effective tanning legislation strategies.

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Abbreviations

AAD:

American Academy of Dermatology

AADA:

American Academy of Dermatology Association

AMA:

American Medical Association

ASDS:

American Society for Dermatologic Surgery

ASP:

American Society for Photobiology

CDC:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

FDA:

Food and Drug Administration

FTC:

Federal Trade Commission

ITA:

Indoor Tanning Association

MED:

Minimal erythemal dose

SCC:

Squamous cell carcinoma

SID:

Society for Investigative Dermatology

UK:

United Kingdom

UV:

Ultraviolet

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA

    Andrea Suárez & Robert P. Dellavalle

  2. Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA

    Robert P. Dellavalle

  3. Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA

    Robert P. Dellavalle

  4. Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 132 E. Delaware Place, #5806, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    June K. Robinson

Authors
  1. Andrea Suárez
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  2. Robert P. Dellavalle
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  3. June K. Robinson
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Correspondence to June K. Robinson .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Cottman Avenue, Rm P4163 333, Philadelphia, 19111, Pennsylvania, USA

    Carolyn J. Heckman

  2. , The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, UMDNJ-RobertWood Johnson Medical School, Little Albany Street 195, New Brunswick, 08901, New Jersey, USA

    Sharon L. Manne

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Suárez, A., Dellavalle, R.P., Robinson, J.K. (2012). Indoor Tanning Regulation, Enforcement, Taxation, and Policy. In: Heckman, C., Manne, S. (eds) Shedding Light on Indoor Tanning. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2048-0_10

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